Pharmaceutical networking for the future – understanding and harnessing the power of social media

As an industry we understand the power of communicating through the web but we have yet to truly harness the power of websites that allow people to share their opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives. Using social media to complement traditional PR and marketing channels can enable communicators to connect with their key audiences in a manner that is more personal and informal. The challenge for pharmaceutical companies is to relinquish some of the control they traditionally apply to healthcare communications, and allow healthcare professionals and consumers to interact freely and discuss topics (diseases and treatments) that are relevant to them.

Why is social media so important?

Social media encompasses a wide range of web forums including blogs, discussion boards, video logs, video sharing sites, and virtual life websites. Social media marketing is the tool employed by marketers via these forums. This is done by developing and writing content that is unique, and newsworthy. This content can then be marketed by popularizing it, by getting people talking about it, or even by creating “viral” communications to inform key stakeholders of its existence. Social media is about being social, about interacting with other like-minded people, so any new forum or website should include the option for users to get involved in other similar activities such as blogs, forums, or niche communities.

Table 1: Traditional vs. social media – a comparison

Communication via social media is attractive to consumers because it captures personal views and opinions – people recognise that they are corresponding with others who are ‘like themselves’ with whom they share interests or views.

Figure 1: Types of social media

Blogging: Successful communication tool or minefield?

Among the most common forms of social media is the blog. Since 2002 blogs have played an increasing pivotal role in breaking, shaping and spinning news stories over a broad range of topics including politics, social interest and health. By 2004 blogs were increasingly considered mainstream and now many Technorati there are now 76 million blogs, with over 1.6 million postings daily. Social commentators assert that many of these blogs just cannot be ignored. One of the biggest challenges to industry today is identifying the influential ones.

Corporate blogging is on the increase with countries like the United States and France leading the charge. Recent IPSOS research suggests that many consumers refer to blogs when trying to make decisions to purchase a product. This means the positive or negative content of blogs can actually sway a consumer’s decision to purchase.

Figure 2: Influence of blogs on the purchase of a product or service. A group of European consumers were questioned as to whether their purchasing decisions could be influenced by reading positive or negative comments about from other customers or private individuals on the internet (IPSOS MORI Research – November 2006)

Within the US it is estimated that approximately 1% of the estimated 12 million blogs are healthcare blogs [1], and in this sector most bloggers are writing for healthcare providers, the public, patients and healthcare experts. According to research carried out by Envision Solutions, 7% blog for others, including medical students, researchers, friends and family. Blogs also offer individuals a convenient avenue for writing about their personal experiences with new compounds, diagnostics tools and patient successes. Most healthcare bloggers (61%) surveyed said they blog about their personal experiences but other popular topics include health news, business and policy.

So with all the bloggers out there and the influence of blogs growing why does the pharmaceutical industry have such mixed feelings about using healthcare blogs, concerns include:

• A perception that blogs can be unrepresentative of mainstream opinion
• A view that blogs recycle medical information but do not provide original content
• An observation that blogs can potentially lack integrity and be biased
• Customers do not want to buy if they see negative comments

Despite such perceived negatives it is important to recognise that blogs are often very well received by their readers, which in the case of healthcare blogs will include patients. If informed and written well the blog might help relieve some of the isolation patients may experience due to their illness. Blogs can also act as a facilitator for connecting patients with others who they can relate to or who may provide new insights into a medical condition or treatment. Healthcare professional blogging has also increased sharply, with many healthcare professionals blogging and sharing their experiences of both their peers and patients.

Social networking: harnessing the power of the consumer

In addition to blogs, social networking has become a powerful phenomenon that PR and marketing professionals are just beginning to channel as another tool for communicating to key stakeholders. The core strength behind social networking websites is the ability of one person to influence many simply through the relationships or ties they have with other members of their network. The success of social networking websites hinges solely on the structure of the network and the number of people it is able to reach.

As an example, Facebook, which launched in 2004, was initially limited to Harvard students before expanding to include other students and is now open to anyone over the age of 13 years. With over 100 million active users Facebook's internal valuation is estimated at $8 billion based on projected revenues of $1 billion by 2015. These statistics make Facebook an attractive communication tool for anyone within the healthcare space who wishes to communicate with this demographic. Already, initiatives linked to breast cancer and other key healthcare issues have a significant presence within the website, and new groups spring up daily.

Medical Knowledge Group has worked with a number of healthcare companies to develop social networking websites for health professionals, recent examples include a carers support network and a mental health patient group portal. The aims of these types of healthcare social networking sites are to:

• Provide an online internet-based platform that strengthens relationships with key patient organisations and provides a platform through which to work collaboratively in an online setting to aid the work of advocacy partners
• Provide support and tools for better education and sharing of information to key stakeholders
• Provide an online channel for advocacy networks to engage, interact and share communications and best practice
• Raise awareness of successful campaigns in an interactive environment

Additionally, these types of initiatives can actively underpin a product’s global positioning and provide evidence of a company’s commitment within a therapy area. Helping the pharmaceutical industry understand the corporate benefits of social networking are critical since facilitating open platforms for communication and sharing of best practice provides benefits to both the pharmaceutical company sponsoring the site and the users sharing information within it.

So how can we help pharmaceutical companies embrace social networking? A number of companies are already communicating successfully through this medium but it as yet remains a largely untapped resource to the pharmaceutical industry. Whether it is creating new specialist networking sites such as the Canadian Medical Association's, Asklepios site, or working within existing medical networking websites or more consumer facing websites such as Facebook, social networking is undoubtedly a communication tool that allows access to a pool of potential advocates. Our role as communications experts is to work with our clients to ensure that the therapy area or patient group networking sites they support provide a platform for the users to communicate freely while at the same time recognising the pharmaceutical industry's need to work within certain legal boundaries and restrictions. One of the key take home messages clients should remember is that the positives to be gained of allowing stakeholders to interact can far outweigh the potential negatives. Advocates, patients and the public are more likely to trust in a product or therapy area information if they believe those communicating on the topic are able to share their view and speak freely about the pros and the cons. If a company has enough belief and trust in their product and is willing to share their commitment to the therapy area via online forums this belief can in turn be shared and the long-term benefits could be significant.

In summary, gaining a better understanding of how social media such as blogs and social networking websites can be of benefit to the pharmaceutical industry is critical to ensuring we stay at the forefront in terms of digital media communication. Recognising the benefits and being aware of the limitations, particularly in the pharmaceutical sector, will ensure that PR and marketing communicators maximise the opportunities provided by the web in both an ethical and mutually beneficial manner.

Footnote:
[1] Lenhart, A. and S. Fox Bloggers: A portrait of the internet’s new storytellers. 2006, Pew Internet & American Life Project: Washington, DC.